Help with Water Marking

rspringer · Nov 30, 2012

My pup has a problem (due to training solo) with marking. He thinks when I shot that I throw the bird. As soon as I or we shoot in the boat he looks into the boat instead of at the decoys to mark a bird. I plan on going up to train with Marcus next week but we are going again this weekend and I just didn't know if there were any quick items I could try to "help" him out. Here are the two ideas that I had:

1) Stand out of the boat sort of infront of him on the hunt deck so he possibly can see both the gun and the bird
2) Maybe try and holding his head and "force" him to watch the birds work? I know that sounds really dumb... but...

He watches birds fly and work but its almost like when we move to start shooting he automatically looks at us.

THANKS!!!

Kenneth Niles Bora · Nov 30, 2012

rspringer said:
...we are going again this weekend and I just didn't know if there were any quick items I could try to "help" him out. .....

THANKS!!!

mostly there are no quick fixes in dog training.
I would offer using bird boy help, stand alone marks and finding a training group.
BUT
you are already hunting so......
anyone in your group have a more seasoned dog?

rspringer · Nov 30, 2012

Ken Bora said:
mostly there are no quick fixes in dog training.
I would offer using bird boy help, stand alone marks and finding a training group.
BUT
you are already hunting so......
anyone in your group have a more seasoned dog?

100% and thats why I am going to work with Marcus using wingers, etc.

There are a couple of seasoned dogs we hunt with but unfortunately they are not going on this trip.

WROK · Nov 30, 2012

I had the same problem with my 8 month old pup at the begining of the season. He would not put the connection together that me shooting meant birds falling in the field. He would either watch me when I started shooting or watch the rest of the flock fly away.

Experience was what helped him. I just kept doing the same thing throughout the season. Now 2 months later with all the hunting he's done, there's no problem anymore. Just keep at it.

Justin Allen · Nov 30, 2012

Kill enough birds for him and he will figure it out. It is something that will happen over time with work.

rspringer · Dec 3, 2012

Update - Saturday morning we set up and had Cobb on the huntdeck and at first light he seemed to be watching more and a group of ringers piled in the decoys with us knocking down 2. He immediately marked them and I sent him for his first "marked" retrieve in a hunting situation!!! what a relief and what a feeling. We killed 14 saturday morning and he marked and picked up everyone.

He even marked a cripple gadwall that keep swimming out to about 150 yards and he never missed a beat on it.

THANKS!

Bartona500 · Dec 3, 2012

If you can afford one, a Thunder Launcher will do miracles for getting a dog to look "out" for a mark when they hear the gun.

Help with Water Marking

rspringer

Kenneth Niles Bora

rspringer

WROK

Justin Allen

rspringer

Bartona500

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